Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far

aka: Close Combat 2, Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far, Close Combat: A Bridge Too Far - The Thrill of Combat-The Power of Command , Close Combat: Die Brücke von Arnheim, Close Combat: Die Brücke von Arnheim - Der Nervenkitzel des Kampfes - die Macht der Befehlsgewalt, Close Combat: Un pont trop loin, Close Combat: Un pont trop loin - Le frisson du combat - Le pouvoir de commander

Moby ID: 1303

Windows version

Not as Imbecilic as the First of the Series, but it comes close

The Good
Better Graphics, Sounds are Good, Ability to choose your units before a battle

The Bad
Everything else. It astounds me that self-proclaimed strategy "Grognards" rated this game so highly. There's about as much Strategic depth in this game as there is in a game of tiddly-winks. Where do I start? The AI is absolutely inane. I'm not talking about the realistic simulating of morale, but more specifically, the pathfinding and combat AI. Units will get lost even in the open, taking the long way around. Units will walk right into enemy fire, and pause when they are within grenade range. Your units are lucky to hit ANYTHING at all when just attempting suppressing fire, yet the computer AI has those heat seeking bullets from "Fifth Element"

Your snipers need countless shots to get one kill yet the enemy is able to pick your entrenched guys without trying. Your Machine gun fire is about as useless as it is in the first game.

The Bottom Line
It amazes me that retards who consider themselves "Wargamers" find this game good. I may not have memorized the difference between the ranges of an MP40 from that of a Garand but I know what strategy is. I didn't need this game to teach me the idea of suppression fire and flanking is. Real world strategies don't work in this game, anyone who says they do is either a liar or a moron, or both. Laying down suppression fire only results in wasted bullets. Enemy AI that is supposedly suppressed has the ability to pick off my guys one by one.

Even though Atomic Games claims their AI doesn't cheat, which sounds like a load of dung to me, the game is obviously slanted in the AI's favor. When playing as the Americans you have a huge disadvantage in accuracy. As the Germans, you're almost always outnumbered, with more Allie units than you would of received had you played the Allies.

I think programmers who make retarded games like this should be lined up and flogged. Flogged twice especially when you have retarded people singing praises of a clearly inferior game.

In case anyone is wondering, I used basically the same review for this game as I wrote for Close Combat. It applies for both, though BTF is a slight improvement. But both games are a complete exercise in frustration and stupidity.

by Anonymous Gamer (161) on December 30, 2002

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